8: Stop Sliding Into My LinkedIn DMs

11/11/22 • 44 min

Not Another Business Podcast with Mark Havenner

The era of numbers-game acquisition tactics such as cold calling, solicitation, and mass-produced advertising are over.
Now, we are sick of getting pitched—we know our problems, and we live in them. We even know the fix, even if we haven’t got to it yet. Not because of cluelessness or lack of resourcefulness but due to budget, bandwidth, time, and priorities. As a result, cold calls result in almost zero ROI. We either ignore and delete it on autopilot or, worst, it triggers negative emotions such as irritation and anger.
Business is about relationships. We aren’t leads. We’re humans. We want to be met where we’re at. There are infinite communication choices, channels, and ways to gain insight into an individual or a business. So, now we want to see that you’ve done your research and that you’re worth our time. We only have the bandwidth for authentic, deliberate, and productive connections.
In this episode, I go into a more productive way to handle business development. One that doesn't require sliding into people's DMs.

Previous Episode

7: You Have an Audience of One

Every business leader needs to understand their unique target audience intimately. Let’s face it, we all want to be understood. It’s the foundation of every connection.

Typically, client discovery is through the limited lens of market research data which only produces generalized ideas, resulting in mass-produced messaging and superficial connections with a customer base.
In this episode, I unpack how understanding your ideal audience on an individual level allows you to communicate in a way that resonates specifically with them so that they can connect deeply with your offering.
I guide you through an exercise to understand your perfect customer psychologically and emotionally and, ultimately, to fine-tune your direct value to them. From this framework, I teach you how to create elevated messaging around your appeal that transcends to attract all the right people.

Show your client you understand them.

Questions:

Who is your ideal audience?
Imagine that your audience is one person - a single individual rather than a group. If your audience was an audience of one, who would that person be?
Why are they your ideal? Why do you like working with them? What are the fundamental traits and qualities they have?
Where did they come from, where are they now, and where are they aiming to go?
What is most important to them? What are their ideals?
What are their obstacles - traps, temptations, fears?
What is their core desire?
What drives them? What is their purpose, their motivation?
What is their biggest problem, and how does it relate to the problem you solve? How can you help with their challenges and lift them up?

Next Episode

8: Let’s Be Honest About Gratitude

People talk a lot about gratitude, especially this time of year. The extremely complex sentiment of gratitude is now ubiquitous. Gratitude often reads as insincere, surface-level platitudes—watch your social media feed this week.
The problem is, when we express gratitude from this passive place of autopilot, we lose connection with the incredible meaning and power it can bring to our lives.

Genuine expressions of gratitude are dynamic actions, not passive statements. When we connect with our gratitude as an active force, it becomes an honoring, disciplined and strategic practice. It demands self-reflection, giving us context for who we are and the life we’re living, keeping us accountable as we acknowledge our role in it all. It offers clarity and builds momentum, keeping us in touch and aligned with our deeper reasons and vision. We’re humbled and empowered at once.

In this episode, I unpack how to take gratitude from passive to active, so its benefits truly start to manifest in your life.